Shattered Aura
by Fivedaysdark
Summary: Humanity has long since disappeared from the planet. Only their ruins and pokemon now remain. Sometimes pokemon from the past find themselves awoken to the present. Struggling with demons from the past, many seek out a purpose while others lose their minds in the struggle. Acero is one of those pokemon. Will he find a new purpose or will the past find him easy prey?
1. Chapter 1: Waking Dreams

_Acero! Come on! Daddy is waiting for us!_

 _. . . . ._

 _Come on Acero! You can do it! Just a bit more!_

 _. . . ._

 _Acero . . . thank you. You always have my back, don't you?_

 _. . ._

 _R-run . . get away . . . Acero I said run! Now!_

 _. ._

Acero's eyes suddenly opened in a startle, breathing hard in labor. His frame lifted up from the wicker cot with a soft groan and a bit of resistance. Instinctively, his paw reached up to grope at the remains of the spike at the base of his chest. The flat metal piece on his body felt hot as phantom pains fired through it. With his jaws clenched into each other and muzzle expelling out hot exhales, the Lucario swung his padded feet over off the cot to rest them on the floor. The plant fibers that were used to weave the pattern below him had mingles of lavender sprigs, the scent was kicked up in the air with the added pressure. In the past, it was some comfort to him but the smell had no longer an easing effect; rather it just reminded him that this was not his home and he did not belong here.

He hung his head forward with a sigh, resting his muzzle within his paws and closing his eyes again. It had been a full lunar cycle since he woke from his stasis but the night terrors seemed impossible to fully shake off. Even with the aid from a few of the locals, he was still at the mercy of his partial fugue state and stuck trying to piece what he could remember to a past he could not. His ears twitched lightly as he could hear the light drizzle of rain beginning on the roof of the small hut. The new sound grew constant and helped drone out his panting and soft shudders. The light rumble of thunder helped more.

The small poketown of Oakcrest in the eastern lands welcomed the rain as a sign that the dry season was over. The crops would certainly now flourish and the local water types could take a break from all of the extra work. Established a little over a century ago, Oakcrest derived its success as a town from the rich topsoil it used to grow fields of berries and herbs for trade to other local communities of pokemon. Occasionally, pokemon from the ancient cities of humanity would make the trip to collect some of the berries grown here. As a whole, the town had thrived off a reputation of a peaceful one that is welcoming of all types, even those who suffer stasis from the fugue states. Acero was one of those pokemon.

While it was not uncommon to find these "PC" devices, the programs that were used to store and transfer were always found corrupted and even pokemon with an affinity for this old technology had a hard time accessing them. Furthermore, not all stasis pokemon are safe in this dead technology. Some have long since expired, others have gone mad from being left alone to their own thoughts and the "lucky" ones survive in a sort of hibernation.

When Acero was freed, there was no violent outburst or confusion as per the normal reaction of a stasis pokemon. Instead, those who had broken him free watched as he stared blankly into the distance with tear running down his face. Oakcrest wasn't too far from the city's ruins so it was decided he could be dropped off there until he recovered from the initial shock. There, Acero was watched over by a few of the elders and daycare workers in his initial weeks. While he had never posed a problem, he kept to himself most of the time and only ventured outside to find food or speak with a few of the locals about recent news. There was a sense of sadness that follows him and his appearance would suggest he was no stranger to battles. A few pokemon in the community choose to give him space while others actively attempt to court a sort of friendship with him.

Acero, now up and coming to grip with his reality once more, stood at the threshold of the front doorway. With his nose sticking outside, he took a deep breath from the fresh air that came with the rain. From where he stood he could see a neighbor, an Audino many knew simply as Doc, chasing a group of youngsters from the playground back into an adjacent large hut. The daycare was constructed from the same material as Acero's hut, mainly woven grass with either a bamboo or wooden frame for support. A few Budew saplings would make things extra difficult as they seemed more inclined to dance and splash about in the new forming puddles. Two Lotad sprouts joined in on the shower, collection the water that fell into their lily pads.

The Lucario couldn't help but let out a small smirk, returning to the interior of the small building. Within, the only furnishing available to him was the small cot and a low wooden table set at the center. In one of the corners of the room, a bucket of fresh water was set aside near a bag of fruit. Local artisans had taken their hands to aiding the newcomer and giving him the basics to live on until he could work himself. It was a nice gesture considering how cold Acero had been. Still, this room seemed so alien to him. A lingering distain and homesickness would come over him on occasion. The fugue state had not only crippled his full memories but also had made him begin to question if the personality he had was actually his own or just a default state of mind. Sometimes he would even wonder if his existence was even genuine.

Lacking a grip on his past and self-identity frustrated him but there was something that kept him afloat. Folded neatly on the table was a piece of his past that was tangible to his paws and proof of his existence. The strip of crimson cloth had been sewn and stitched up several times but was still strong. It was his link to the past in the present and was proof to him that once long ago he had a partner. A human partner. Kneeling in front of the table he scooped the scarf up in his paws and examined it. The scars and repairs made to this article of clothing each had a story behind it but was locked within his own mind. The fabric felt soft and warm on his pads as he clenched the garment a few times and tried to relax. Closing his eyes, Acero brought the cloth up to his muzzle slowly and buried his nose within it. The black appendages on his head rose up unintentionally as he could still read her cherry aura. It was fuzzy but there was no denying it was still there. A deep red mingled with patterns of bright pink, laced with the scent of allspice and orange peels. It was an unmistakable aura to Acero and one that brought great joy to his heart. Phantasms flickered past his mind too quick to pinpoint but were still comforting in their brief visit.

The grip that Acero had on the scarf loosened. It was a nice feeling but it would fade quickly. The realization that he was alone now met him again, like an addict coming down from an initial high. Slowly looking down to his paws he watched the scarf fall back on the table where it laid before. Thick smudged stains of red and black now covered his pads and sickness crept over him. Ears twitched as he stumbled back, a high pitched cry echoing in his lobes. It was all too much as his labored breaths came violently back while his stomach flipped forward and forced bile to bubble up his throat.

The shifting of reality around him came to a halt and his body relaxed slowly. The cue of a visitor snapped him back. Turning his head around to the doorway he could see a small shadow peeking in from the entry frame. The shadow's ears were weighed down from the water, most of the weight in the light tan fleece. The Buneary's chocolate colored pelt was peppered with rainwater and flecks of mud. It looked as if she had been running through the rain this afternoon. Leaving a light trail of paw prints in the softened soil, the rabbit pokemon walked slowly into the hut with its paws gripping onto a small wicker basket.

"Cocoa . . . the weather is just going to get worse . . you shouldn't be here."

Acero's voice was low and gravelly in tone, carrying a dull and tired tone to it. The Buneary didn't seem to startle, instead smiling and approaching him with a hop in her step.

"Alice wanted me to bring you some more berries. She thought you would be running low."

Acero grumbled a bit, turning his head to the stock of fruit and berries in the corner. Cocoa didn't comment on the excess of food but only would add to the pantry. His appetite was pretty nonexistent at this point. The lack of nutrition in the past month had eaten away at his muscle tone and he was now a shadow of his former self.

"I have plenty."

Cocoa sat the basket down and turned around with a warm smile. Acero looked away, peering out one of the porthole windows. When he was brought to Oakcrest, Cocoa and her sister were the first to donate to the stasis pokemon.

"I can see that. You should really eat though. You are going to make my sister and I feel bad", the juvenile squeaked out, her paws attempting to swat a few traces of mud away from her fur. The Lucario watched silently as she did so, not minding the dirt collecting on the floor.

"Shaming does nothing to me little one. Besides, your sister is still on her travels so she will not notice."

"She will if you don't eat every bit before she gets back."

Acero ignored her comment and reached his paw outside from the porthole to feel the cold water falling from the sky. The Buneary fidgeted a bit with the basket handle as she stood there in silence. He noticed this, gazing back at her with a confused arch of his brow.

"What?"

"Oh n-nothin! I just wanted to see how you were holding up is all . . we don't see you in the community much. Do you just sit in here all day?"

She was blunt in her statement. It was more likely that her sibling asked to keep an eye on him in her absence. Suppose they thought he would just wander off without anyone watching. The idea did cross his mind a few times.

"I have taken to wandering the community once in a while. You have to understand it is all odd to me though. I can see reminisce of humanity's design in the structure of this town. It is strange to feel a familiarity with a place like this when I have never been here before."

Cocoa listened quietly, the water from her ears pattering on the floor still.

"I don't plan on staying here forever though so there is no sense for me to settle roots down."

"You don't have to leave Acero. You can stay here, start over and help with the harvests as well as make friends with us! I can be your friend!"

The Buneary spoke with a hurried and worried tone. She was a sweet girl, naïve in her statement but sweet none the less. It was an option to him but that would not answer his questions. There were many unanswered questions and he would be damned if he was going to let them lay in his mind, eating away at his heart and body. The best place to begin his search was where he was found in the first place.

Acero turned to smile at Cocoa with a mock sign of defeat.

"That might be a good idea child. Why don't we split a berry or two on that and wait until this storm passes over?"

She seemed pleased about this, hopping over to the basket to recover a few of her favorites. Acero however had already made up his mind on the subject. If he was going to do so, he would need his strength and this town would supply him with it. One more week is all he would need and then . . .


	2. Chapter 2: Path to the Past

_Riolu stared down at the chipped pink cup in front of him. His paw gently nudged at the edge to tilt it back to get a better view of the empty interior. The table before him had been set up with a frilled off rosy sheet accompanied by several stained plastic teacups and a matching flower painted kettle. This scene was all new to him but it wasn't frightening. It was more a curiosity._

 _Surveying the small room, a night stand and small bedstead sat at one corner of the room. A worn out wooden desk sat on the other side, many nicks and gashes to its frame. The decorations here all had a soft colored theme; mingles of white, pinks and reds dominated with a few touches of mismatched pieces. It was warm none the less and the light scent of citrus covered everything along with . . . something else._

 _The young pokemon was brought here by an old human male and left to sit and wait alone. He was a bit scared at first but could hear happy voices downstairs so he figured he wouldn't be alone for long. A few pokemon at the daycare spouted their internal worries about being taken to new homes but he was happy to leave that crowded place. He had seen many come and go. A few times he thought he would be selected next but when humans would look at a tag next to his enclosure, they always had the sourest looks on their faces. Riolu wondered at times what the paper meant and why it made so many turn away._

 _Walking to the other side of the short table, he saw a familiar face. About half his current height, a cheerful Cleffa was sitting at one of the mini chairs with a permanent smile to her face. Relief came over Riolu as he quickly greeted the pokemon. The joy soon shifted to confusion as her star shaped body remained frozen in place and staring forward. His paw reached out nudging a bit at her side and made a startling discovery as she fell over._

 _This pokemon wasn't alive at all! What was going on here?!_

" _Keep your eyes closed dear", a deep, tired voice could be heard from the hallway he was previously brought through. The Riolu didn't understand most human tongue but the tone didn't sound hostile. Still, it was best to prepare for the worst._

 _The worn out door creaked open once more and the tall male figure stood there. Riolu had taken an instinctive defensive stance and waited with nerves shot up. His guard lowered slightly as walking out from behind the male legs was a young female of the species. The small human had her paws up by her face covering her eyes and walked forward, guided by the older man's hand._

" _Can I open em now daddy?"_

" _Go ahead dear and stay calm. He is still a bit young."_

 _The child dropped her hands as a pair of green eyes stared back at Riolu's red orbs. The two stared silently at one another for a few moments as Riolu sized her up. The female had a sort of special garment on, her bottom piece belling out at her knees with the trim cutting it off in a floral pattern. The well-worn skirted dress had a white sash tied around her waist with a large bow, kind of like the blue one that was secured around his neck. The child's hair was a tangled red mess and her cheeks were pocked with several freckles while her lips parted more and more to reveal her two front teeth had gone missing. Maybe the result of a battle? Her dress did have several dirty patches on it and one of her knees was wrapped up with cloth and tape._

 _Suddenly, a ripple of Aura came forth from the girl. Riolu was still young and couldn't control his sensitivity to the energy as it always seemed to happen by itself. The warm red imprint had flakes of pink wedged within and reminded him a bit of his parents as they both were dominated by one of these shades. It was interesting to see these colors so bright in a small child. What exactly did it mean?_

" _Now dear, I know you wanted a- "_

" _I love him! Thank you daddy!"_

 _The little girl seemed very happy suddenly, running back to the old male with arms wrapping around his legs in a tight hold. Riolu watched silently as the two conversed for a bit right before the female reapproached him. She stood a foot higher but he was not intimidated. Instead his paws reached out into the air in front of her. His touch slid over the Aura as the ripples dispersed and died out slowly in a lasting haze. It was enough to know everything was ok. Instead of meeting her own paw, the girl had suddenly knelt down and swung her arms around his torso to pull him up against her. The tight embrace was a bit uncomfortable as he made an audible cry out but her pleasant scent was overpowering at this distance. It was the same smell that coated this room. Her laughter and warm hold made his body go limp, paws dropping down to his sides as her face nuzzled with his cheerfully._

 _Even through the happiness, a wet touch from her cheek was felt and lingered on the side of his nose. Was that a tear? Was she crying for some reason? Why would this little girl be so happy but produce tears? Question would just go unanswered._

* * *

Acero held the cheri berry at the center of his paw. His pads pushed together to squeeze it to test the firmness of the fruit. Something about the color was so familiar to him. If only his mind wasn't a shaded mess . . .

"In for a little spice in your life there dear?"

His eyes glanced up at Mimi as she shot him a cheeky smile from behind the oak countertop.

The local market was wide awake and busy like every morning, shipping off more of their produce to the areas surrounding. Most carts would head farther north while a few carriers headed south. It was always interesting to see the variety of travelers in town and mostly everyone remained peaceful in transactions. The heavy rain through the night had bolstered the water levels for various businesses. This means the drinking holes would most likely be packed tonight. Elder trees that dotted Oakcrest offered plenty of shade from the sun and the mighty oaks must be a sight to see during the fall. Acero didn't plan on being here for too much longer. Instead he stood in front of one of the various vendors in market to stock up for his journey.

"I'm sorry if my daughters keep bringing you sweets only. They should know a strong lad like you enjoys a variety."

Mimi the Lopunny folded her arms over her chest and held her smile at Acero, despite his blank stare back at her. She had been nice enough to allow her daughters to take some extra berries to him free of charge. He didn't have the heart to tell her they were untouched. Oran and pecha were fine for a normal diet but he would need some with more substance to them.

"Quite alright ma'am. I was just looking to mix it up a bit for now."

"Well you just take what you need within reason dear. I'm sure after you bulk up a bit you can pay us back in some way."

The plump older rabbit giggled with a paw up to her pursed lips, giving a playful wink at him. Acero ignored the comment, putting the cheri down onto the counter. It was a ploy he had observed before. Mimi worked as a figurehead of the market while her husband took mostly to the fields. Her flirtatious tone along with her soft voice attracted many to purchase more than they needed. Using her female wiles to lure in customers was an excellent way to move products. He wondered if this was of her plot or her husbands.

"Indeed. I believe two cheri, two lum and . . five sitrus will do nicely."

Mimi's eyebrow quirked up a bit but complied happily, sliding the selected produce in front of herself and taking extra care to lay out a large leaf for packaging. The northern wind gave a light gust through the town, shaking a few trees free of storm residue and sending a shower down on top of the inhabitants. The cool drizzle felt good in the heat of the morning sun to Acero, his eyes closing as he took in a deep breath of the fresh country air. One thing he enjoyed about this town was the wild scents that came with it. It was something rare to him back when he lived in the human city.

"There ya go hun! All wrapped up for ya! I'm glad to see you have your appetite back. Don't eat em all in one sitting though!"

Mimi tilted her head with a happy smile while Acero scooped up the wrapped package and gave a light bow of appreciation before leaving. The crowd that had formed seemed to be a mix of mostly locals but it still made him uneasy. Truthfully it would be nice to be away from everyone's questioning eyes and curious noses. Now all that was left to do was make his way to the west entrance without being spotted.

Even with the warm weather kicking up more with the cloudless day, there was always a sense of comfort when Acero had that red scarf wrapped around his neck. It was tangible, the one thing he could clearly remember and feel. Like a child with a blanket, so unsure of his actions, he stood at the crossroad from the town to the wild frontier. Even with his memories clotted up, he recalled this was the path he was carried from into the town. Logic dictated that landmarks seen would spark his short term memory and guide him to the building where he was first released from stasis. He had never been in the wild alone before but his instincts were always sharp so he figured he would manage.

Taking a deep inhale and taking a few casual steps forward, his head turned back to make sure the inhabitants in the area were preoccupied with their own tasks. A friendly face instantly met with his from only a few yards back. The elder Audino stood quietly in place, supported by a carved birch stick. His glassy blue eyes still held plenty of vitality to them, though the extensions from his ears were ragged and patchy.

"Well now . . . are you off for a stroll today Acero?" His voice was still sweet but carried his years of experience.

"Doc. I didn't see you there. Interesting how you manage to just sneak up on me like that."

"Oh my . . . I was only walking by and saw you here . . . facing the west alone. I'm glad you are here though . . . I need some help."

Acero fully turned around and approached Doc with the berry package held on a rope by his tail.

"We all need help old one. I take it your business is out in the wilderness or you wouldn't be here."

"How astute of you lad . . . I need to replenish some herbal teas and poultice ingredients . . . care to escort an elder for the good of the town?"

Acero exhaled and looked around at his surroundings quickly before he would nod in acceptance. If Doc was heading this way in the first place, it would be less suspicious if he joined instead of leaving alone.

"Very well. In return I ask you for a favor."

"You want to visit the ruins . . . where you were recovered, yes?"

The Lucario paused, being figured out already. Doc chuckled and began to walk towards the opened area to the beginning of the beaten pathway.

"Come now Acero . . . I was the one that helped you recover in body . . . now it is time for the mind."


	3. Chapter 3: Bone Rush and Brimstone

"Ahh . . . this is a good one."

Doc lifted up a sprig of fireweed and viewed its purple blooms with a pleased smile. Acero watched as the old Audino picked the wild herbs at his leisure. It had been over an hour of wandering and talking and he had begun to wonder if this old healer was just pulling his leg and wanted some company.

"Yes it is. Why don't we place it in your basket and continue."

"Patience Acero . . . each piece needs to be closely examined. We wouldn't want to . . . make any mistakes."

The Lucario let out a disgruntled sigh, crossing his arms and looked back down the hillside at the rolling fields of wild grass with thin patches of shrubs. The vibrant green shades coupled with touches of painted flora dotted the landscape. With each wind gust sweeping over the plains, pollen and seeds took up into the air and left the sky dazzled with sparks of nature. This was an alien sight to Acero and at the same time it felt natural. There was a sense of peace and belonging mingled in with the foreign environment.

"Pardon me but I was under the impression you would help me with my task. It seemed you have plenty of herbs to work with", Acero stated as he gestured to the brought basket.

"Oh but I am helping. All you need to do . . . is open your eyes to the path ahead instead of focusing on . . . the present."

"I don't have an appetite for your riddling tone old one. Are you going to help me or not?"

Doc chuckled softly at the tone, ignoring the crass statement and only raising up his walking stick to point forward down the hill and over the plains. Acero looked in the direction and narrowed his eyes, able to make out a few large structures settled on the horizon. The crafting of humanity was remarkable in how long it could endure time. A twinge of realization came fluttering up to batter against his ribcage while his body instinctively walked forward.

Doc rose up his stick and placed it over Acero's chest to halt his progress and snap him out of his state.

"You are a lucky one . . . that Vulcan told us where his team found you. I think he wanted to . . . make sure you could visit. Still . . . we should be careful. Feral territory . . . can be dangerous."

"Vulcan . . . wait, feral?"

Acero turned his attention to Doc with a confused look. He had heard that word used before by pokemon in town but not in the way he remembered humans used it.

"Indeed. As you have probably noticed . . we use the knowledge left behind by humanity to . . . live safe and comfortable lives. There are those however . . . that see all tools of humanity as . . only a pathway to destruction, instead they . . . focus on living without any reminisce of . . . humanity. We refer to them as 'ferals' while they us as . . . 'dusters'. We keep to ourselves mostly but . . . run-ins have become violent before."

"Funny. I always thought humanity were the petty ones. So then it would be best to stay quiet when we proceed."

The Audino dropped his stick back down and smiled with a nod, seeing that Acero understood.

"There are also some referred to as . . . 'technits' who fully embrace humanity's old tools and seek to understand their uses to the point of . . . dare I say . . obsession. They will stick mostly to the cities and towns these days but . . . on occasion dusters will . . trade supplies with them."

The Lucario gazed back out into the distance at the buildings lost to time. He was anxious to see if there was anything there that would piece his mind together. There was also a sense of dread that it would be all for nothing. Only searching the ruins would give him the answer he sought.

* * *

An old sign had long since rusted over and collapsed at the side of the two story building. It was now impossible to see what the sheet of metal said but it likely had been marked with humanity's tongue. The concrete that had been plastered and spread over the ground was mired with cracks that split across the area. From between them, nature found a way and brought up several stalks of wild grasses and hardy flowers. Amazingly, the buildings that remained still retained their walls but had been battered by the elements and time fairly harsh. Roofs had collapsed, windows had been shattered and doorways were left wide open. To the pokemon inhabiting this world, it must have been a new sight but to the stasis awoken, it was a ghost town and left an eerie impression.

The concrete blocks that made up the walls had lost their definition. A strong scent of dirt and industrial decay was handing in the air even with the wind sweeping up the dusty roads. The stone steps that led upwards past the iron gate was coated in a thick layer of debris. Acero wasn't quite sure just how long he had been in stasis. From the deterioration of this building, it looked like dozens of lifetimes. It was funny how Doc felt like his senior and yet he was much older than the Audino. Doc had taken his time walking, forcing Acero to slow his pace. They did however finally make their way to their destination, just as the sun had hit its zenith in the sky.

"This is . . .the building you were found in. I believe you were recovered on . . . ah, the ground floor."

A flicker of memory came in a flash, opening Acero's mind for an instant but long enough for the pokemon to grasp at the information. He paused for a moment before stepping up onto the first step.

"I remember this place. It's a . . . damn. It's a place where trainers used to write and read a lot. They would put papers inside books and binders and then onto shelves. Like an . . information hub of older times. More so, I remember my trainer bringing me here for something really important."

Doc looked pleased at Acero's reaction, watching as the stasis pokemon already recovering from his mind's fugue state.

"Then maybe we should . . . go inside and see if . . . . anything else triggers your memories."

Gazing back at Doc with a nod, Acero turned his attention to the steps upwards to the front doorways with a surge of vitality coming to his senses. He was quite eager in seeing if there was merit to elder's words.

The scent of dirt and mold hung pungent within the air as the pollen outside has easily found its way inside. The sunlight that poured through the broken windows and cracks in the wall were spotlights while the particles were dancers. Fragments of shelves upon shelves lay to the waste side and scattered around the room but there still was a definite layout to this place. Acero felt calm and nervous at the same time, as if he was returning home after a very long trip just to notice something was amiss. Doc walked calmly out near the front though as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

The echoes of their steps crunching into the debris could be faintly heard but was accompanied by the light choir of whistles from the wind.

Walking among the spotlights and avoiding the thicker piles of refuse, there was a moment of pause as Acero's nose perked up with a light twitch. Stopping in his tracks, his paw reached out to touch the elder's shoulder in cue of halting his actions. There was a noticeable stench hanging in this place that was not native. It was distant but the scent of sulfur was everywhere. His eyes darted from left to right and noted that a few of these trash mounds had fragments of burning sulfur.

 _Dammit. I should have sensed this before we walked in._

A low, aggressive growl emitted from down the halls in the main lobby. Acero instinctively stepped forward, feeling a rush of adrenaline pump into his joints as he readied his body for what may come. It was hard sometimes to tell if he was conditioned to respond this way or it was just his nature. Maybe a little of both.

A drawn out howl echoed loudly, bouncing around the corridors followed by a blast of heat. From the halls came several gouts of flames that came rushing at Acero and Doc. The fire nearly caught them off guard but the lucario's nose and ears had picked up the trap before it was fully sprung. Both of them hit the floor, flattening their figures as much as they could while the fires above met and spiraled together. The flames danced together for a moment before dying out to leave ash snow to drift to the ground.

"Doc! Stay down!"

Acero didn't wait. Rising back up to his hind legs his ears rose at attention and listened to several paws switching positions around him. An estimation would suggest they were on all fours but it was too hard to tell how many hid in the shadows. Still, Acero had no intention of giving chase or being pinned down at this point. Instead, his body hunched forward and paws met side to side. It had been a while but this was all second nature to him.

Separating his paws and focusing his aura to take form, a solid blue shaft materialized when his arms were parallel to his shoulders. The staff extended farther out, halting at equal length to both sides. At each side, the nub shaped out to a long bone end. The newly formed weapon was gripped tightly by Acero, faintly glowing with light and humming the tighter his grip became. With his eyes closing he focused on his breathing and listened. The paws continued to shift and move around him, growls still laced in aggression but Acero didn't budge. He was waiting.

The intense heat could be felt from all around once more, cuing to Acero that now was the time. Eyes slammed open and with a fluid moment, Acero pivoted on the ball of his heel and turned in a clockwise sweeping attack. The staff was swung with such grace and yet raw power blasted from each end, sending a wave of his aura to meet each gout of fire. The fires were not only quelled and pushed back, the bookcases and scattered piles around Acero were tossed aside just as quickly. Splintered wood shattered and old dry books burst into shreds. Acero made his full rotation, staff in his dominant grip as he finished and started down the halls once more. The clearing that he had made only had him and a very surprised audino in it now, standing up from the ground now.

"Dammit come out and face me right now!" Acero's bark loudly echoed. He could hear paws shuffling, a few backing away but there was a heavy set moving forward from his left. Turning to that direction, Acero saw an orange muzzle extend out from the darkness with a fanged sneer. Red eyes stared back but the pokemon didn't move any farther and kept the distance. A snarling female voice rolled from the muzzle, a light hiss to her tone as she spoke.

"Clearly you are no simple wanderer. Did you come here to stir up trouble?"

"No. I am looking for something. Something that might be buried here. I am not here to fight anyone but if I must I will defend myself."

The figure stepped from the darkness and snickered softly. A houndoom approached Acero, stride in confidence followed by several houndours at her heels. It would appear this was the den mother of this pack that Acero was now dealing with. Acero kept his stance, feeling Doc standing now at his side.

"We are simple here . . . to access the past. If you will . . . let us pass I am sure we can work out a . . . trade of some sort . . . Elli."

Elli? Acero didn't dare turn his eyes away from the houndoom and her pups.

"Why Doc. It has been quite a while since I saw you last. How is that old leg of yours holding up?"

The audino would only smile and tap his walking cane on the ground.

"I get around just fine . . . Elli. Looks like you have . . . thrived like you said you would. I am . . . glad to see you . . . all well."

The houndoom hissed loudly and barked out with an angry tone.

"Don't you dare mock me! I know you came here to finish up Vulcan's work! That fowl is a coward just like you are! Too high and mighty to face me alone so you bring someone to do your dirty work for you!"

Acero could feel the tension growing a bit more in this room. Taking a few steps forward he would extend his opened paw out to the houndoom but maintain a safe distance. While the houndoom known as Elli continued to growl in a fierce tone, Doc remained where he stood and watched with a soft smile.

"Please. Elli. I am not here to fight you. I simply am looking for my past. I was in stasis and I-"

Acero didn't get any farther than that. Elli expelled out a heated roar, hot air blasting from her throat. Acero shielded his frame from the heat with paws up and crossed over himself, eyes darted back up to see the houndoom had taken to the air and was coming down fast to meet Acero with her claws and fangs. The instinct to fight or die rushed his already primed body with adrenaline. With staff in his grip, Acero leaped up to meet the houndoom halfway and head on.


End file.
